Ariundle lies north of Strontian, on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula. Two hundred years ago the oak woods around Ariundle were a source of charcoal for the Bonawe furnace in Lorne. Some of the old stacking platforms can still be seen in the area today. To ensure a constant supply of poles, the oaks were coppiced to allow the stems to regrow. The last comprehensive felling appears to have taken place around 1850 and after the furnace closed Ariundle became a grazing area for sheep, cattle and deer. Today the area is a National Nature Reserve. The trees are covered in mosses, ferns and lichens which thrive in the damp west-coast climate. The area is also home to a wide variety of birdlife.

(Image Copyright - Helen Wilkinson)

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Moss-covered rocks, Ariundle Nature Reserve

ARGYLL: Ardnamurchan

2000s

smelting; ore smelting

Geograph British Isles

Creative Commons

Ariundle lies north of Strontian, on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula. Two hundred years ago the oak woods around Ariundle were a source of charcoal for the Bonawe furnace in Lorne. Some of the old stacking platforms can still be seen in the area today. To ensure a constant supply of poles, the oaks were coppiced to allow the stems to regrow. The last comprehensive felling appears to have taken place around 1850 and after the furnace closed Ariundle became a grazing area for sheep, cattle and deer. Today the area is a National Nature Reserve. The trees are covered in mosses, ferns and lichens which thrive in the damp west-coast climate. The area is also home to a wide variety of birdlife.<br />
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(Image Copyright - Helen Wilkinson)